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Publisher: DC
Years in Operation: 1935 - ?
Disclose Detail
Country: Flag United States Web Site: http://www.dccomics.com/ Brands: 96 Indicia Publishers: 51 Series: 8478 Printings: 76507 (52694 Issues) Disclose Notes: The company commonly referred to as "DC" has a somewhat complex beginning. Its earliest predecessor was founded by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson as National Allied Publications, Inc. Eventually, circumstances led Wheeler-Nicholson to form a partnership with printer Harry Donenfeld and eventually accountant Jack Liebowitz to produce his third title, Detective Comics. This partnership was Detective Comics, Inc. and was the first direct corporate predecessor of today's DC.

By 1938 mounting debts forced Wheeler-Nicholson to sell his share of Detective Comics, Inc. and then to declare bankruptcy, losing control of his own Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc., the final direct successor to National Allied. Donenfeld, Liebowitz and Donenfeld's silent partner Paul Sampliner promptly bought Nicholson Publishing's two titles at bankruptcy auction and transferred them over to Detective Comics, Inc.

Later, Max Charles Gaines would partner with Liebowitz to start up All-American Comics, sharing distribution and staff with Donenfeld's operation. Except for issues cover-dated 1945, All-American books would share the same logos and branding as Detective Comics, Inc. and its corporate siblings. For 1945, All-American behaved more as a separate publisher. Also during that year, Gaines published his first title using Educational Comics, Inc. as the publishing company with an "EC" logo. By the end of the year Gaines sold his share of All-American back to Liebowitz and Donenfeld and went on to build EC into a separate company.

Eventually, Donenfeld and Liebowitz consolidated all of their companies, including those from All-American, into National Comics Publications, Inc. Prior to that consolidation the companies group as follows:

Owned solely by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson:
* National Allied Publications, Inc. (1935)
* National Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc. (1935 - 1936)
* More Fun Magazine, Inc. (1936)
* Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc. (1936 - 1938)

A few issues were published by "A.I. Menin, rec. Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc." during the bankruptcy proceedings in 1938.

Owned by Donenfeld, Liebowitz and/or Sampliner (Detective Comics, Inc. was initially co-owned by Wheeler-Nicholson and Liebowitz but the former was forced out in 1938):
* Detective Comics, Inc. (1937 - 1947)
* Superman, Inc. (1940 - 1947)
* World's Best Comic Company (1941 - 1947)
* Tilsam Publications (1943 - 1948)

All-American companies under M. C. Gaines and Jack Liebowitz:
* All-American Comics, Inc. (1939 - 1946)
* Jolaine Publications, Inc. (1941 - 1946)
* J. R. Publishing Co. (1941 - 1947)
* Gainlee Publishing Co. (1942 - 1946)
* Wonder Woman Publishing Co., Inc. (1942 - 1947)
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Indicia Publisher Name Years in Operation Printings (Issues)
FlagA.I. Menin, rec. Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc. Disclose
Note: Used for three issues when Wheeler-Nicholson's company went bankrupt (it does specifically say "Published By" and then that title). Merged into "Detective Comics, Inc." when its owners bought Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc.'s two titles at the bankruptcy auction. Note that it was only the titles that were purchased, not the entire company nor all of its assets.
1938 - 2
FlagAll American Printing Co., Inc. Disclose
Note: Used for two Superman Annuals in 1960 and for 80-Page Giant #8 in 1965.
1960 - 1965 3
FlagAll-American Comics, Inc. Disclose
Note: One of the All-American Comics indicia publishers. Merged into "National Comics Publications, Inc."
1939 - 1947 104 (100)
FlagAmerica's Best Comics 1999 - 1999 2
FlagAmerica's Best Comics, LLC 1999 - 2008 179 (199)
FlagArleigh Publishing Company Disclose
Note: Becomes "Arleigh Publishing Corporation" in 1961.
1950 - 1961 130
FlagArleigh Publishing Corporation Disclose
Note: Replaces "Arleigh Publishing Company" in late 1961.
1961 - 1967 261
FlagBeverly Publishing Co., Inc. 1951 - 1
FlagBeverly Publishing Company Disclose
Note: Used for DC's romance comics. The years are uncertain; they likely include the listed years, but could extend on either end.
1951 - 1955 19
FlagCliffhanger Publications 1999 - 1
FlagDC Comics Disclose
Note: Previously "DC Comics, Inc."
1987 - ? 41736 (30347)
FlagDC Comics and Top Cow Productions, Inc. 2005 - 1
FlagDC Comics Inc. Disclose
Note: Previously "National Periodical Publications, Inc." and followed by just "DC Comics." In 1993, only used on January 1993 comics and some early 1993 graphic novels.
1977 - 1993 14277 (7788)
FlagDetective Comics, Inc. Disclose
Note: Merged into "National Comics Publications, Inc."
1937 - 1947 570 (559)
FlagEducational Comics, Inc. 1943 - 1947 3 (1)
FlagGainlee Publishing Co. Disclose
Note: One of the All-American Comics indicia publishers. Merged into "National Comics Publications, Inc." Sometimes written as "The Gainlee Publishing Co." or "the Gainlee Publishing Co."
1942 - 1946 32
FlagHampshire Distributors Ltd. Disclose
Note: Used for the Jack Kirby magazines.
1971 - 2
FlagHomage Comics 1999 - 2004 54 (57)
FlagHomage Comics / WildStorm Productions 2000 - 6
FlagJ. R. Publishing Co. Disclose
Note: One of the All-American Comics indicia publishers. Merged into "National Comics Publications, Inc." The J. and R. are taken from the first names of Jessie Gaines and Rosa Liebowitz.
1941 - 1947 190 (191)
FlagJ. R. Publishing Company 1944 - 1
FlagJolaine Publications, Inc. Disclose
Note: One of the All-American Comics indicia publishers. Merged into "National Comics Publications, Inc."
1941 - 1946 49
FlagM. C. Gaines 1942 - 1946 8 (7)
FlagMalcolm Wheeler-Nicholson Disclose
Note: Used on Federal Men Ashcan.
1936 - 1
FlagMerwil Disclose
Note: Used as publisher name on Action Comics #1 ashcan edition as registered with US Patent and Trademark Office.
1937 - 1
FlagMore Fun Magazine, Inc. Disclose
Note: One of the Wheeler-Nicholson indicia publishers.
1936 - 2
FlagMore Fun, Inc. Disclose
Note: Possibly a shortened form of More Fun Magazine, Inc., which was used for two issues before this form was used. Issues stating "published by MORE FUN, Inc." continued to also state a copyright by "MORE FUN Magazine, Inc."
1936 - 6
FlagNational Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc. Disclose
Note: One of the Wheeler-Nicholson indicia publishers.
1935 - 1936 9
FlagNational Allied Publications, Inc. Disclose
Note: One of the early Wheeler-Nicholson indicia publishers.
1935 - 7 (6)
FlagNational Comics Publications, Inc. Disclose
Note: Formed by merging several previous indicia publishers, and followed by "National Periodical Publications, Inc."
1947 - 1961 4394 (4377)
FlagNational Periodical Publications 1968 - 1975 3
FlagNational Periodical Publications, Inc. Disclose
Note: Previously "National Comics Publications, Inc." and followed by "DC Comics, Inc."
1961 - 1977 5393 (5397)
FlagNicholson Publishing Co., Inc. Disclose
Note: One of the Wheeler-Nicholson indicia publishers. Became "A.I. Menin, rec. Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc." when his company went bankrupt.
1936 - 1938 31
FlagParadox Press 1994 - 2004 46 (60)
FlagPicture Comics, Inc. Disclose
Note: Used for the first two issues of Movie Comics. Replaced by Picture Publications, Inc. (or possibly "Picture Comics" was an an accidental usage of the wrong name?)
1939 - 2
FlagPicture Publications, Inc. Disclose
Note: Used for the last four issues of Movie Comics. Replaced Picture Comics, Inc. (or possibly "Picture Comics" was an an accidental usage of the wrong name?)
1939 - 4
FlagPiranha Music 1991 - 1994 5 (2)
FlagPiranha Press 1989 - 1993 67 (68)
FlagSignal Publishing Co. 1960 - 4
FlagSignal Publishing Company Disclose
Note: Used for DC's romance comics. The years are uncertain; they likely include the listed years, but could extend on either end.
1951 - 1961 146
FlagSuperman, Inc. Disclose
Note: Merged into "National Comics Publications, Inc." Used in comics 1940-47, but appears on comic insert with Superman costume in the 1950s.
1940 - 1958 50 (47)
FlagTilsam Publications, Inc. Disclose
Note: Used in comics only for All-Funny Comics. Tilsam is an unusual example for DC of their using an indicia publisher that existed before comic books, being used to publish Real Screen Fun from 1934 to 1943. It's possible that WW2 paper allotments was the reason for this useage.
1943 - 1945 8
FlagTrafalgar Publications, Inc. Disclose
Note: Used for (at least) Mutt & Jeff
1942 - 1943 2
FlagVertigo 2005 - 2011 1
FlagWildstorm Comics 2005 - 2007 1 (0)
FlagWildStorm Productions 1999 - 2011 2093 (2323)
FlagWilliam H. Wise & Company Disclose
Note: Surrogate for All-American Comics, likely to get around paper restrictions for World War II. Used for Big All-American Comic Book and Ed Wheelan's Joke Book.
1944 - 2
FlagWonder Woman Publishing Co., Inc. 1945 - 1947 9
FlagWonder Woman Publishing Company, Inc. Disclose
Note: One of the All-American Comics indicia publishers. Merged into "National Comics Publications, Inc."
1942 - 1945 12
FlagWorld's Best Comics Co. 1941 - 1947 86 (67)
FlagWorld's Best Comics Company Disclose
Note: Only used in World's Best Comics (DC, 1941 series) #1 and World's Finest Comics (DC, 1941 series) #2.
1941 - -30 (4)

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